Vegan Pumpkin Flan

Ingredients:

For the flan:

  • 500 ml of almond milk (or any plant-based milk of your choice)
  • 500 g of cooked or roasted pumpkin
  • 8 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoons of maple syrup (or any vegan sweetener of your choice)
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon

For the caramel:

  • 5 tablespoons of maple syrup (or any vegan sweetener of your choice)
  • 5 tablespoons of water
  • 1 splash of lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Pumpkin:
    • Peel the pumpkin, chop it, and either cook it in a saucepan with water until tender or roast it in the oven at 200°C until soft.
  2. Blend the Flan Mixture:
    • In a blender, combine the almond milk and maple syrup.
    • Once the pumpkin is ready, add it to the blender (peeled and chopped if roasted) and blend until smooth.
  3. Cook the Flan Mixture:
    • Pour about 2 fingers high of the blended mixture into a saucepan over medium heat.
    • Once it starts to boil, remove from heat and add the cornstarch spoonful by spoonful, stirring constantly to dissolve it.
    • Return the saucepan to low heat and gradually add the remaining mixture, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens to a creamy consistency.
    • Before the mixture thickens completely, add the lemon zest, stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
  4. Prepare the Caramel:
    • In a small frying pan or saucepan, heat the maple syrup, water, and lemon juice over low heat.
    • Let it cook until the mixture turns golden brown, but not too dark.
  5. Assemble the Flan:
    • Pour the caramel into a large container or several small ones for single servings, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
    • Carefully pour the cooked flan mixture over the caramel in the containers.
  6. Chill and Serve:
    • Allow the flan to cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
    • It’s advisable to cover the containers to prevent the top of the dessert from drying out.

Nutritional Information (per serving, assuming 6 servings):

  • Calories: 180
  • Total Fat: 1g
    • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
  • Sodium: 85mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 42g
    • Dietary Fiber: 2g
    • Sugars: 22g
  • Protein: 2g

Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on specific ingredients used.